Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Pours a clear gold with a foamy beige head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Tiny dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of grain, corn flake, and sugar aromas. Taste is much the same with grain, frosted corn flake, and fruit flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a below average beer that is fairly drinkable, but it's quite sweet and corn flake like all around.

Montejo looks far classier than it actually is; its crystalline clarity, microscopic bubbles and faint whitish hue give it the air of champagne, especially when held up into the light. Its fragmentary head and the diminutive lacing it is just barely able to contrive are probably a little more indicative of the beer's level of quality and craftsmanship.

The bouquet smells alright - provided you don't mind corn syrup. I appreciate that Mexico's culture, cuisine and history are entwined with corn, and while I can overlook a little corn being used in the mash, I have to insist that it makes a much worse smelling grain than wheat, barley or rye. This particular scent is compounded by a chemical-like aura.

Corn is also obvious in the taste but it's curiously not nearly so disagreeable. In fact, it's actually quite palatable. I'm not sure what makes this so but if the Mexicans would be so kind as to share this secret with the rest of Latin America, the big producers in North America and Europe and the rice brewers in Japan, that would be much appreciated.

As inoffensive and palatable as it is, I'm glad to find there's no aftertaste. The bubbles are energetic enough to wash a lot of the sweetness away and, with only a minimal bitterness, the palate is left with little to remember the beer by. And having had the good mind to pair it with corn tortillas and corn salsa, I can say it works well with salty snack foods.

If the world's beer drinkers wanted a better light-bodied, quenching and characterless beer for their patio and poolside drinking, I'd suggest Montejo rather than Grupo Modelo's more famous brand, Corona. For my palate, I find it much more agreeable and much closer to passing for a decent, commonplace beer rather than offensive, chemical-laden water. (1,789 characters)

Consumed in October 2004 in Cancun, Mexico from a bottle. Pours with a nice head which quickly disappears. Maybe a bit of lave. Not much scent to the beer. Corn, maybe a bit of malt. Don't really smell any hops though. You can taste the malt and there are a few actual hops you can taste. Decent carbonation, but still a bit watery like all the rest of the beers in Mexico. Not horrible, but still barely decent. Fortunately I only have about three more I think to review and two of them are at least decent. (508 characters)

This can lists 4.5% ABV. I am surprised to see it classified as a "Czech pilsner", as in my opinion it is pretty much the epitomy of an "adjunct lager".

The only ingredient listed on the can is "100% aluminum" - which explains the metallic taste? However as there is only a hint of grain and a defined corn sweetness, I am reviewing this as an adjunct lager. Either that or it would be the worst pilsner ever...

Pale straw colour and sustained rapid effervescence. No aroma to speak of, and very light flavour profile. No maltiness and the only hops are in a slight bitterness to the finish.

Perhaps I've been in Mexico too long and now see corn everywhere, but I am convinced this is an adjunct. Fine if one is looking for volume & "cold", but certainly not ideal if looking for taste. (791 characters)

As others have noted, I don't see any comparison between this and a pilsener. There just isn't that much there. It was a clear yellow with no head. Not much aroma, maybe a little graininess. A vague, sweet taste. Couldn't find any hops. Refreshing on a hot day, but that's about it. (282 characters)

Pilsner my ass. For a pils, this is a big underperformer. Like Estrella, it hints at good pilsner qualities, but doesn't go all the way. It is most unoffensive and can wash down food on a hot day. I got mine as a 5 peso upgrade from water with a lunch in Cancun, and I guess it wasn't horrible for 5 pesos. Still, no hops or decent malt profile. (345 characters)

Straw gold with the faintest orange notes. Head is actually worse than Pacifico, dying almost instantly. Little streaming, no lace. Aroma is mostly dry and grainy, like stale corn meal. Hops are peppery and earthy, contributing to the overall effect of drinking dirt.

The flavor is like a slightly boozy corn syrup, not overly sweet but a touch of that, and not overly skunky but a touch of that as well. Light in body, carbonation is actually pretty well attenuated to keep this creamy smooth.

In general, this is simply an undercooked pilsner, not that I'm claiming it should be off the spectrum. It is much better tasting than its cousin Pacifico, but it showcases its alcohol proudly where quality beers are more subtle. Not a good beer, but slightly better than the competition (in terms of Mexican pale lagers, not genuine pilsners). (843 characters)

A: Light golden yellow color with a bubbly head that dissipates extremely quickly.S: Strong corn aroma with alcohol and maltiness. T: Slightly metallic with a peculiar bitter ending.M: Light bodied with high carbonation.D: While easy to drink, it is not too enjoyable. I can see this being refreshing on a hot summer day. Nothing special about this beer. (416 characters)

Had this in a small bar in Cozumel. Your typical thin bodied, somewhat grainy Mexican beer without much distinguishing nose or flaveor, and a slightly stale finish. But it was a hot day, the beer was cold, and I was on vacation, so nothing is too bad at that point. Besides, I have never seen this beer in the states, so I got to try something different. (354 characters)

I haven't had one of these light El Cheapo beers for a while. So I was surprised that it's sort of drinkable as a watery gulp. But then the corn and club soda taste take over. There is something like hops, I am thinking, but then it turns soapy.

This stuff even looks cheap in the glass. The coarse bubbles peter out quickly. Sort of sweet and grainy. Not even refreshing, though if you were seriously sweating and gasping from thirst it would be welcome enough. But rated as a Czech Pilsener it's laughable. From the 12 oz bottle with the longest neck I have ever seen. (572 characters)

Smell is grainy and slightly grassy. Aroma is a bit stale and even a tad sour. Not very inviting.

A fair amount of malt flavor gives way to a rather unpleasant finish and aftertaste with a bit of unpleasant sourness. I have a feeling this is well past its prime. Overly carbonated; too sharp and biting. Slick and wet mouthfeel. Kind of gross.

If this is really a Czech Pilsener than it is a rather poor example. Stick to the Vienna lager style if you want a Mexican beer. (545 characters)

From a 12oz bottle - My bottle says 4.5% and it clearly tastes like one and not a 6% as stated here.

A: Clear see thru light yellow w/ medium carbonationS: not impressed; it has LIGHT BEER written al over it.T: bitter, corn, foamy.M: watery.D: You can have this to win a beer-bong competition, it really goes down easily.

I was pretty disappointed with this beer, probably because I had some expectations to it. Believe it or not most of my mexicans friends do not now the existence of this beer.

This one will go down as a memory of life since i'll never ask for this one again. (587 characters)

Reviewed from notes - had this beer while on vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Poured from a 12 oz can into a glass.

Apperance - Straw yellow (what else?) with just a film of head. Lots of visible carbonation.

Smell - There's a bit of corn, but nothing else. Very unimpressive.

Taste - I get smacked on the front of my palate with a strong corn taste which isn't all that pleasing. There's almost nothing else to this beer - 95% of the taste is on the front end and the rest is like water.